4.1: Introduction
- Page ID
- 24872
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Understanding Membranes
The cell membrane is the barrier that separates the cytoplasm from the external world. The cell membrane consists primarily of phospholipids in a bilayer. Phospholipids are amphipathic with a polar head (phosphate group) and a hydrophobic tail (2 hydrocarbon chains). Due to the chemical properties of the heads being attracted to water and the tails having a desire to avoid water, phospholipids self-assemble into micelles. Cell membranes form from a phospholipid bilayer where the lipid tails interact with each other and the phosphate heads face the external water environment or the internal cytoplasm of the cell.
The cell membrane does not solely consist of phospholipids but also have proteins and cholesterol inserted into the bilayer. As the image of the bilayer above indicates, the molecules are constantly moving and flow in a lateral motion. Cholesterol modulates the fluidity of this motion. Proteins associated with the membrane may sit on either side (peripheral proteins) of the membrane or pass through both layers of the membrane (transmembrane proteins). The model that describes the components of the cellular membrane is referred to as the Fluid Mosaic Model. This model states that the cell membrane is a mosaic of 1) Phospholipids 2) Proteins 3) Cholesterol that moves about in a side to side motion.
The fluid mosaic of phospholipids, proteins, and cholesterol that create the selective barrier between the interior and the exterior of the cell.
Small uncharged molecules pass through the double layer of phospholipids. Polar, charged or large molecules have great difficulty passing through the membrane and require the aid of transmembrane proteins. An example of a transmembrane protein that facilitates the movement of a polar substance is aquaporin, which permits the free movement of water.
Diffusion
Diffusion is the net movement of a substance from high concentration to low concentration. This difference in concentration is referred to as a concentration gradient. This movement does not require any external energy but uses the free energy intrinsic to the system.
- Temperature Effects on Diffusion
- Molecular Mass Effects on Diffusion
Concentrated dye diffuses along the concentration gradient until reaching equilibrium (no net movement).
Osmosis
Osmosis is a special case of diffusion. Instead of observing the net change in solute, osmosis follows the net movement of a solvent across a semipermeable membrane. Since a semi-permeable membrane permits specific things to pass through, some solutes are partitioned.
- Simulation of diffusion through a semipermeable membrane (CC-BY 4.0 Concord Consortium)
A semi-permeable membrane allows the solvent to pass but not this red salt molecule. The water moves along the concentration gradient (of water) . This movement of water causes an osmotic pressure.
A cell lacking a cell wall is affected greatly by the tonicity of the environment. In a hypertonic solution where the concentration of dissolved solute is high, water will be drawn out of the cell. In a hypotonic solution where the concentration of dissolved solute is lower than the interior of the cell, the cell will be under great osmotic pressure from the environmental water moving in and can rupture.
Plants have rigid cell walls composed of cellulose. These cell walls permit for maintenance of cellular integrity when the external environment is hypotonic (less dissolved substances). In this situation, the water moves into the cell. Without the cell wall, the cell would burst open from the excessive water pressure entering the cell. This state of swelling is referred to as turgid, resulting from turgor pressure.
Cell walls of a plant retain the shape of the cell despite the state of external tonicity.
When the exterior environment is hypertonic (greater amount of dissolved substances), the reverse condition occurs whereby the cellular fluid exiting the cell reduces the size of the cytoplasm. This condition is referred to as plasmolysis.
Active Transport Mechanisms
